Making water cleaner for cows

Traditionally, ranchers and dairy farmers have used either chlorine-based treatment products or left water untreated for their animals.

David Kolstad was tired of changing those chemicals. So, he came up with a method that uses ultraviolet light and a proprietary compound to clean the water, producing hydrogen peroxide that binds to water molecules and kills bacteria. The entire unit is about the size of a suitcase, is easy to install and inexpensive to rent.

"Most farms in America have drinking water that has a lot of bacteria in it and there aren't many ways to treat that water. This offers a method of treating the water that is odorless and tasteless and the cows enjoy drinking," Steve Bachar said.

Bachar is the CEO of Silver Bullet Water Treatment, the company behind the invention. He says their product is already in Kansas, Nebraska, Illinois and Ohio.

Craig Pearson of Bijou Hills Dairy has had the Silver Bullet product for about six months.

"If you have stagnant water you'll get a bacteria that builds up and we don't get that anymore. The water is very clean and very clear. We notice a difference in maintenance and we also notice a difference in the cows," Pearson said.

Pearson also says the amount of time spent cleaning and maintaining the watering system for his cattle has gone way down because of the Silver Bullet product.